Plowing depth detecting system for rotary plow

Abstract

There is disclosed a plowing depth detecting system for a rotary plow adapted to detect an actual plowing depth on the basis of distance data with respect to the ground received from a distance sensor attached to the rotary plow which is vertically movably connected to a vehicle through a link mechanism. The distance sensor provides a microprocessor with distance data with respect to the ground rearwardly of the rotary plow. The microprocessor determines a value of actual plowing depth of the rotary plow on the basis of this distance data and a correction value according to a working condition of the rotary plow.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A plowing depth detecting system comprising; a rotary plow vertically movably connected to a vehicle through a link mechanism and including a rotor for plowing ground,   leveling means for leveling the ground plowed by said rotor,   sensor means attached to said rotary plow for detecting a distance between said sensor means and the ground rearwardly of said leveling means, and   processing means including;   calculator means for calculating an amount of rise of the plowed ground leveled by said leveling means as compared with an unplowed ground,   corrector means for determining a plowing depth correction value from said amount of rise of the plowed ground that is determined by said calculator means, and   actual plowing depth determining means for determining an actual plowing depth of said rotary plow from distance data provided by said sensor means and said plowing depth correction value.   
     
     
       2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said calculator means calculates said amount of rise by subtracting a distance to the plowed and leveled ground detected by said sensor means after a run of said vehicle from a distance to the unplowed ground detected by said sensor means when said rotary plow is lowered to a target plowing depth prior to the start of said vehicle. 
     
     
       3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said calculator means takes in said distance to the plowed and leveled ground from said sensor means only after lapse of a predetermined time from the start of said vehicle. 
     
     
       4. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actual plowing depth determined by said processing means is displayed by display means. 
     
     
       5. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an angle detecting sensor for detecting an angle of oscillation of a lift arm of said link mechanism for vertically moving said rotary plow, wherein said corrector means corrects said amount of rise based on said angle of oscillation and determines the plowing depth correction value. 
     
     
       6. A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said corrector means includes converter means for converting said angle of oscillation into a correction distance. 
     
     
       7. A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said converter means derives the correction distance from a prestored table of angles of oscillation and correction distances corresponding thereto. 
     
     
       8. A plowing depth detecting system comprising; a rotary plow vertically movably connected to a vehicle through a link mechanisw and including a rotor for plowing ground,   leveling means for leveling the ground plowed by said rotor,   sensor means attached to said rotary plow for detecting a distance between said sensor means and the ground rearwardly of said leveling means,   manual input means for manually inputting an expected amount of rise of the plowed ground leveled by said leveling means as compared an unplowed ground, and processing means including;   corrector means for determining a plowing depth correction value from said amount of rise input from said manual input means, and   actual plowing depth determining means for determining an actual plowing depth of said rotary plow from distance data provided by said sensor means and said plowing depth correction value.   
     
     
       9. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said actual plowing depth determining means determines the actual plowing depth by subtracting a sum of said plowing depth correction value and a distance to the plowed and leveled ground detected by said sensor means from a predetermined distance from said sensor means to a lower end of said rotor. 
     
     
       10. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said manual input means comprises manually operable dial adjusting means. 
     
     
       11. A plowing depth detecting system comprising; a rotary plow vertically movably connected to a vehicle through a link mechanism and including a rotor for plowing ground,   leveling means for leveling the ground plowed by said rotor,   sensor means attached to said rotary plow for detecting a distance between said sensor means and the ground rearwardly of said leveling means,   manual input means for manually inputting an expected amount of rise of the plowed ground leveled by said leveling means as compared with an unplowed ground, and   processing means including; calculator means for calculating an amount of rise of the plowed ground leveled by said leveling means as compared with the unplowed ground,   selector means for selecting either of said amount of rise input from said manual input means or said amount of rise calculated by said calculator means, for use in determining a plowing depth correction value,   corrector means for determining the plowing depth correction value from said amount of rise selected by said selector means, and   actual plowing depth determining means for determining an actual plowing depth of said rotary plow from distance data provided by said sensor means and said plowing depth correction value.